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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R - friendly monster from Japan

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Created on December 7, 2015

Reading time 4min

Written by:

Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Nissan / Werk

Karissa Hosek - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Nissan / Werk

Karissa Hosek - Courtesy RM/Sotheby's

Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - gegenüber späteren GT-R wirkt der R32 fast unauffällig

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - seit kurzem können die GT-R-Modelle offiziell und ohne Anpassungen in die USA eingeführt werden

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - der Heckflügel als Unterscheidungsmerkmal

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Fast 44'000 GT-R-Coupés der Baureihe R32 wurden produziert

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - für Kühlluft ist gesorgt

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Nissan peilte mit dem R32 GT-R den Porsche 959 als Konkurrenten an

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - schlicht gezeichnetes Coupé

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - unterwegs in den USA

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - das Interieur orientierte sich an den übrigen Skyline-Modellen, die Sitze waren besonders sportlich

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - alle GT-R sind rechtsgelenkt

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - mit km/h-Tacho, der aber deutlich zu früh aufhört

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - mit Ladedruckanzeige und musikalischer Unterhaltung

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - normale H-Schaltung für das Fünfganggetriebe

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Technologie-Paket im Bug

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Reihensechszylinder mit Doppelturbo

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - 2,6 Liter Hubraum, 24 Ventile, 280 PS

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - erst gegen Ende der Bauzeit gab es auch 17-Zoll-Räder

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Frontansicht

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - Heckansicht

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec (1993) - nachgeschärfte Victory-Spezifikation

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1989) - in Gungrey gespritzt

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - Heckansicht

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec (1993) - Cockpit der nachgeschärften Victory-Spezifikation

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec II (1994) - Interieur der nachgeschärften Victory-Spezifikation

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1992) - der RB26DE Motor

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - in Weiss

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R (1991) - kaum verändert

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Nissan Skyline Sport Coupé GTS-t Type M (1991) - als zweitüriges Coupé

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Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R V-Spec II (1994) - in Weiss

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Nissan Skyline Sport Secan GTS-t Type M (1989) - als Viertürer

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Nissan Skyline Sport Coupé GTS-t Type M (1991) - Cockpit des zweitürigen Coupés

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Nissan Skyline (1989) - der Reihensechszylindermotor mit Aufladung namens RB20DET

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Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M (1989) - Interieur des zweitürigen Coupé

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Nissan Skyline (1989) - der Reihensechszylindermotor namens RB20DE

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Nissan Skyline GTS 25 Type S (1991) - noch eine Coupé-Variante

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Nissan Skyline Sport Secan GTS-t Type M (1989) - Interieur des Viertürers

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Nissan Skyline GTS-t Type M (1989) - zweitüriges Coupé

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Summary

With the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, the Japanese manufacturer presented a sports coupé in 1989 that was technologically comparable to the Porsche 959, but only cost around a seventh of the sports car from Zuffenhausen. This vehicle report describes the history and technological innovations of the GT-R and shows it and its brothers in contemporary and historical pictures.

This article contains the following chapters

Long line of ancestors
Simple design
Innovative technology
An engine to fall in love with
Part of a family
Born for racing
Broadly based
Matured into a classic
Further information

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

With the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, the Japanese manufacturer presented a sports coupé in 1989 that was technologically comparable to the Porsche 959, but only cost around a seventh of the sports car from Zuffenhausen. Unfortunately, it was only built with right-hand drive and almost exclusively for the Japanese market; it would certainly have found many buyers in this country too. There was already a Skyline in 1957; with 60 hp, its sportiness was limited. In 1969, a few model series later, the Japanese presented the first Skyliner GT-R with a six-cylinder engine and 160 hp. From 1981, the Skyline was given the additional designation R30, four years later it was the R31 and in 1989 the R32 appeared, which was to clearly outstrip its predecessors in terms of racing success.

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